A variety of methods have been proposed as methods for optimal operating control of, for example, central air-conditioning systems. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2004-293844 (“JP '844”) describes a method for performing operating control of air-conditioning equipment using a simulation model. In this method, a simulation model of the entirety of the air-conditioning system must be constructed in advance.
A simulation of the operation of the air-conditioning system is performed on the simulation model, to find optimal control target values for minimizing the running cost of the air-conditioning system as a whole in the simulated operations. Moreover, the actual air-conditioning system is operated using the optimal control target values that have been found. Doing so enables optimal operation to minimize the running cost.
Here, in the operation control method set forth in JP '844, the simulation model of the entirety of the air-conditioning system must be constructed in advance. However, because in actual air-conditioning systems there will be different installation conditions and different operating conditions, there is a problem in that the operating characteristics will differ for each individual air-conditioning system. Moreover, even given identical equipment and systems, there is still a problem in that there will be changes in characteristics due to changes over time, and of course due to changes in characteristics depending on the season, the day of the week, the time of day, and the like. Consequently, a single static simulation model is inadequate, and it is necessary to update and adjust the simulation model as appropriate in accordance with the actual operating characteristics of the air-conditioning system.
However, for an operator to perform this type of sequential adjustment updating operation, it would require not just a substantial amount of specialized prior knowledge, but also a great deal of time and effort.
Given this, as a method for handling this type of situation, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication H6-332506 (“JP '506”), for example, discloses a control device for automatically correcting and updating model functions.
The technology disclosed in the JP '506 gathers data indicating the input/output relationships for the apparatus controlled. Model functions for approximating the characteristic distributions obtained from the data are then calculated. Moreover, data are collected at specific time intervals during operating control of the apparatus controlled using the model functions, and these data are used to correct and update the model functions. The model functions can be updated constantly in response to changes in the system installation conditions and operating conditions through correcting and updating the models using measurement data during operations in this way, and optimal control is performed in accordance with actual conditions.
A similar disclosure is made also in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2006-207929.
However, there may be some cases wherein the data themselves are unsuitable when calculating the model functions from the measured data.
For example, there may be cases wherein the measurement instruments themselves have measurement errors, or the measurement instruments may sometimes be influenced by the ambient environment to produce variability in the measurement values.
Furthermore, there is often noise in the data as well.
If the measurement error is too large, or if the noise is too great, then incorrect values may be incorporated within the data.
When control models are calculated based on this type of incorrect data, then models will be produced that do not accurately reflect the actual behavior of the apparatus to be controlled.
Given this, control based on incorrect control models will cause a departure from optimal control, which, in the worst-case scenario, engenders the risk of losing stability in control, and falling into a state wherein the equipment becomes inoperable.
The object of the present invention is to provide a control model updating device and a control model updating method able to update with appropriate control models only, by not updating control models incorrectly.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a controlling system for air-conditioning equipment to achieve optimal control through control models that are updated optimally.